Come Undone #55
by KaitlynRose
Summary: The UEO Summit is over. Everyone is ready for a day off and a little fun. A Pleasant day turns into a nightmare as an idle threat comes to pass. Everyone's life is turned upside down and they are left to wonder, what happens now?


I do not own seaQuest or its characters.  I am not profiting from this story.  It is for entertainment purposes only.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:  I honestly don't know if a naval base has underwater security systems and it isn't exactly something you can look up on the internet.  They have this whole deal abut National Security.  ;-)   For the point of this story, I don't have any underwater security system in place at the military base where seaQuest is currently docked.

Come Undone 

By:  Kaitlyn Rose

_You bitch.  You have a lot of nerve talking to me like that.  I gave you everything and this is how you treat me.  Just wait.  I'll make you pay for betraying me._

Kristin was mentally kicking herself for opening the cursed e-mail.  She should have known that Jack you be angry over the message she sent him.  She had promised herself to delete them from now on without opening them, so why had she opened it?  She guessed she had hoped that Jack had come to his senses and would accept that she was once again newly married.  But then he had never accepted her marriage to Adam so why would he now accept her marriage to Nathan.  It had been wishful thinking on her part.

He quickly deleted the e-mail and emptied the recycle bin.  Lucas sometimes used her computer when he was in the lab and she didn't want to risk him finding it.  She turned off her computer and hurried to her quarters.  She and Lucas had some important things to do this morning and she didn't want to be late.

____________________

Lucas hurried down to the deli while Mom grabbed the soft drinks and chips.  He knew his way around this market pretty well.  It was the same one they always came to when they lived in Virginia for four months.  He found what he was looking for.  He threw into the buggy five long party subs, five containers of coleslaw, five containers of potato salad, and five containers of the pink marshmallow fluff stuff that no one seemed to know what exactly it was, but everyone liked it.

"Lucas that is too much food!" Kristin exclaimed when she saw the boys cart.

"Have you ever seen Ben eat?" Lucas replied with a smirk.

"Yes I have, but still, we don't need this much for a simple picnic.  We're not feeding an entire army."  Kristin started rummaging through Lucas' cart and putting some of the items back. 

"Should we get some of the barbecued chicken?" Kristin asked.

"Sure," Lucas said.  He started to look in Mom's cart.  "You forgot the French onion dip," he said.  "You can't have potato chips without French onion dip."

Kristin just smiled.  "Fine, then go and get the dip.  I'll meet you at the check out."

"Cool," Lucas said and speed off at lightning speed with his shopping buggy.  Kristin resisted the urge to tell him to slow down and settled for just shaking her head instead.  He was just excited after all.  

She was looking forward to today herself.  Even though it was still winter the past two days had been unusually warm and  today was also going to be lovely, a beautiful sixty-three degrees and bright sunshine.  The four day long UEO Summit would be ending today at ten am, and all Nathan and the others had to do was bid the international figures a bond farewell.  So the rest of the day was theirs.  They didn't have to be back on the boat until seven tonight.

Everyone had agreed to enjoy the pleasant weather and have a picnic in the park on the base.  Ben had already found a football and several Frisbees.  The day promised to be a lot of fun.

________________

"Lucas can't you at least wait until the others get here before you start tearing into the food?" Kristin asked.  She was lying down the blankets and Lucas was supposed to be setting out the food, but instead he was shoving chips loaded with dip into his mouth.

"That's a first," Lucas grinned.  "You telling me not to eat."

Kristin smiled at him and then ruffled his hair.  "What am I going to do with you?" she teased.

"I know…I'm a pain," Lucas laughed and raised his eyebrows,  "but you love me anyway."

"Most definitely," Kristin replied.  "Now come on and help me finish setting up.  They'll be here any second."

Lucas shoved another bite of chips into his mouth before pouring the bag of ice into the cooler and then putting the cans of pop into it.  He unzipped his black UEO hooded sweatshirt as he started to feel a little warm.  He saw Mom cutting the subs into individual portions and then rewrapping them in the plastic wrap to keep them fresh.

Lucas sat down on the blanket and stretched out under a tree.  The air smelled so clean and fresh and it was great to have grass under him instead of steel grates.  The trees were bare but it didn't bother him.  The day was still beautiful.

"Here they come," Kristin said.  Lucas looked up and saw Dad, Ben, Katie, Tim, Miguel, Jonathon, and even Bill and Janice Noyce.

Kristin stepped forward and gave Janice a quick hug and welcomed everyone else.  Lucas also stood up to make a proper greeting to Secretary Noyce.

"I hope everyone is hungry.  Lucas, why don't you start passing out drinks," Kristin said.

Lucas nodded and asked everyone what he or she wanted.  Soon everyone was sitting down at the two picnic tables next to the blankets and talking.

"I have to say I am glad that's over," Ben said, referring to the UEO Summit.

"That makes two of us," Nathan replied.  "Nothing personal, but having foreign dignitaries seeing my officers in the middle of a food fight is something I can live without."  Nathan could make light of the incident now, but the morning after the dinner he had given them all a good chewing out.

"I don't know," Bill laughed.  "I thought the carrots in the ears were a nice touch."

__________________

The pleasure yacht stopped a pretty good distance away from the base.  The people on board didn't want to draw attention to them selves.  It was important that they finish their job.  The punishment for failure would be very severe.

"All right," the pilot said.  "Get your gear on now.  We need to get this done as fast as possible.  The small motors will pull you through the water into the base.  You have thirty minutes of air.  That gives you twelve minutes to get to the boat, six minutes to plant the explosives, and then twelve minutes to get back here.  Once you enter the water you will have exactly thirty minutes to complete the job.  If you are even one minute late you will be left behind.  Are there any questions?"  

The six men shook their heads no.  They all knew what was expected of them.  They were to swim to seaQuest, plant a total of twelve bombs near the engine room and the rear of the ship, where propulsion was, and then return to the yacht.  All six of them knew that the threat to leave them behind if they weren't back in time was a very real one.

"Remember to set the timers for 7:15.  Bridger is due back on the boat by seven.  We'll make sure to give him and his family a proper homecoming.  Now go."

One by one the men put their gear on, grabbed what they needed to do the job, and dropped down into the water.

_____________

"Anyone up for some touch football?" Nathan asked, tossing the ball up into the air.

"Nothing personal Dad, but aren't you a little old to be playing football," Lucas teased.

"It's not called old, Lucas, it's called experienced," Nathan replied with a smirk.  "Besides, I still have what it takes to whip your butt."

"That sounds like a challenge," Ben said, dropping an arm over Lucas' shoulders.

"That it is," Nathan grinned.  "Bill, think we can put these two in their place?"

"I think it can be arranged," Bill answered, getting into the spirit of things.

"Why do I have the feeling I'm going to be dishing out a lot of pain pills tonight," Kristin moaned.

"I'll be sure to find the hot water bottle when we get home," Janice agreed.  Nathan and Bill just gave them a look.

"Can I join?" Jonathon asked Nathan.  "I wouldn't mind showing Ben the real way to play football."

Ben actually looked a little nervous.  "Remember, Commander, this is touch football, not full contact."

"I'll remember that," Jonathon said.  "Like the way I remember you turned my teeth blue and you put itching powder in my shorts."

"Itching powder?" Bill gasped.  He started to laugh.  "I see the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree," Bill said to Nathan.

Both Lucas and Ben looked at the Captain.  "What does that mean?" Lucas asked.

"Nothing," Nathan replied quickly, giving Bill a slight jab in the ribs with his elbow.

"Well, we need another player," Ben said.  "Hey Migs!  You up for football?"

"You bet," Miguel replied, shoving the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth.

"I'll join," Tim said.

"Then we still need another player," Ben said.

"I'll play," Katie volunteered.

"You're a girl," Lucas said, stating the obvious.

"She also happens to be good," Ben said.  "Trust me kid.  You want her on our team."

Kristin and Janice made themselves comfortable and sat back to watch the game.

Both teams made their line-ups.  Ben, Lucas, Miguel, and Katie, vs. Nathan, Bill, Tim, and Jonathon.  Bill snapped the ball back to Nathan.  Nathan faked a pass to Jonathon and Ben and Miguel went after the Commander, but Lucas knew his Dad was sneaky and made sure to keep his eyes on him.  He ran after Nathan with Katie close behind.  Nathan might have experience, but Lucas had the advantage of speed.  He was a kid after all.  He pounced on his Dad sending them both to the ground, each landing with a thud.

Lucas rolled off of Nathan who rolled over to his back.  "Who's going to whip who?" Lucas panted.

"I thought we said this was touch football," Nathan groaned lightly, sitting up.

"Yeah, and I touched you," Lucas smirked.

"Are you two okay?" Katie asked.

"Yeah, we're fine.  Son, I am so going to get you for that," Nathan laughed as he climbed to his feet.

"Only if you can catch me," Lucas mocked.

"I'm so glad that they aren't getting competitive or anything," Kristin said sarcastically.

"I just hope Bill doesn't throw his back out again," Janice sighed.

"Men," Kristin said.

_________________

The divers quickly planted the explosives and set the detonators.  At 7:15 tonight the fireworks would begin.  One by one they turned around and made their way out of military waters and back to their boat as fast as they could.  

Luckily the plan so far had gone off without a hitch.  In exactly twelve minutes they all made it back to the yacht and climbed aboard.

"Mission accomplished," one of the diver's said.

"Good," the pilot replied.  "Now let's get the hell out of here.  Bridger will regret messing with the Drakes."

__________________

"Uummpphh!" Ben grunted as he was slammed down to the ground by a tackle from the Commander.  All the air rushed from his lungs and for a moment he couldn't move.

"Oh Ben, did I hurt you?" Jonathon said with mock concern.  "I hope I didn't break anything."

"Nope," Ben moaned.  "I've never…been…better."

"Good, I wouldn't want you to stop playing just yet," Jonathon said.  He got up and left Ben lying on the grass.

"Ben you okay?" Lucas asked.  He kneeled down next to Ben.

"There are times when I really hate that s-o-b," Ben groaned.

"Well you did dye his teeth blue in front off of the Captain and the Secretary General.  Not to mention the foreign dignitaries."

"Kid who's side you on?" Ben said as he struggled to his feet and dusted the grass off of him.

"I'm just saying that this might be one of those times when you should take your lumps and get it over with.  Besides, just think how much fun we'll have when we start thinking up our next big prank."

"Good point," Ben relented.  "Okay, we got to get a strategy going.  They're a touchdown ahead of us and I don't want to lose."

Ben and Lucas went to stand in their huddle with Katie and Miguel.  

"Okay, Katie, I'm going to pass you the ball," Ben said.  "I'm guessing that the Captain and Secretary Noyce will be a little hesitant to tackle a woman."

"Tim too," Lucas pointed out.  "He'd never take Katie down."

"Good point," Ben said.

"You know, I don't like that you're strategy is to use the fact that I'm a woman," Katie argued.

"Listen babe, don't go getting all feministic on me right now," Ben said.  "I want a touchdown and I don't care how we get it.  I'm not going to let Ford gloat for the next six months about how he kicked my ass at football.  Now take the ball when I pass it to you, toss your hair back and bat those eyelashes and cross that goal line.  Miguel, I'm going to fake a pass to you.  It's what Jonathon will be expecting.  Lucas you block the Captain and I'll cover Noyce."

Everyone was just a little surprised by Ben's take charge attitude, but then Ben had proved before that he was more than capable of assessing a situation and doing what needed to be done.  Football obviously wasn't any different.

Everyone took their positions and waited for Ben to give the order.  Lucas spiked the ball back to Ben.  Ben turned to Miguel but then made the switch to Katie.  Lucas took his Dad down and Miguel nailed Jonathon.  Ben managed to run interference with Noyce, slowing the man down.  Katie ran to the goal line with Tim chasing after her, but he never got within more than three feet of her.

"Yes!" Ben shouted as Katie crossed the goal line.  He ran up to her and grabbed her, swinging her around in the air.  "I told Lucas we would want you on our team," Ben said just before he gave her a kiss.

"Ben," Katie whispered and pulled back. 

Ben realized that he was showing more affection than he should be and quickly released her.  After all, Tim, Miguel, and Jonathon didn't know about him and Katie.  They probably suspected, but couldn't be sure one way or the other.

"Sorry," Ben said.  He ran up to Lucas and slapped him on the back.  "What did I tell ya kid?  Was that play awesome or what?"

"That was awesome," Lucas agreed.

"I think it's time you guys took a break," Kristin called.  "Even the NFL gets a half time."

"That sounds like a good idea," Noyce agreed.  He was rubbing his lower back as he wandered over to the picnic table and sat down.  "Damn I'm not as young as I used to be."

"That's what happens when you take a desk job," Nathan teased.  For the most part he was feeling pretty good.  His shoulder was getting a little sore from throwing the ball, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.

Lucas headed straight for the sandwiches.  He took two large pieces, a can of coke, and poured half a bag of chips onto his plate.  Both Nathan and Kristin stared at the amount of food on Lucas' plate.  

"God kid, where are you going to put all of that?" Ben asked.

"I'm hungry," Lucas said, taking an enormous bite of his sub sandwich.  "Mom, where did you stick the French onion dip?"

"It's in the blue cooler," Kristin answered.

"The fresh air will get you every time," Nathan said, and grabbed another piece of the sub himself.

Lucas took off his sweatshirt, leaving him with just a t-shirt and his sweat pants.  

"Lucas, you should keep you're jacket on.  You're sweaty and you're going to get a chill," Kristin warned.  

"I'm fine," Lucas said with his mouth full.

"So what's the score?" Janice asked.

"We're tied at 21," Bill said.

"Not for long," Miguel added.

"What time do you have to be back on the boat?" Noyce asked.

"Seven," Nathan answered.  "The rest of the crew doesn't have to be back until nine, but I've got to be there by seven."

"A Captain's work is never done," Bill teased.

"Don't I know it," Nathan laughed.

"I want to know what you were talking about earlier," Lucas spoke up.

"About what?" Bill asked.

"About that whole apple not falling far from the tree bit.  There was definitely a story behind that statement," Lucas grinned.

"Yes, there's a story, but you're not going to hear it," Nathan said.  That was all he needed, for his own crew to start pulling the pranks he'd played in his younger days.

"What's the matter Nathan?  Afraid of giving the kid ammunition to use against you?" Bill egged.

"You bet I am," Nathan chuckled.

__________________

Before they knew it the day flew by.  The food was mostly gone, the sun was starting to set, and Ben's team won the football game.  They had spent the past hour flying a Frisbee around, and even Kristin and Janice had played.

Lucas excused himself from the game and had a seat on one of the blankets.  He was exhausted, but god he'd had fun today.  He missed having everyone together like this and just spending the day goofing off.  When they lived in the beach house they used to do this all the time, but on seaQuest it just wasn't possible to have everyone together relaxing like this.  He laid back and cupped his hands under his head and stared at the darkening sky.  The clouds were shimmering in bright golds and pinks.  It would be dark soon and they'd have to go back to the boat.  With the sun setting the air was cooling off quickly.

"Hey there," came a soft voice.

"Hey," Lucas said, turning his head to see his Mom standing next to him.  Kristin had a seat next to him on the blanket and laid his jacket over him.

"So did you have fun today?" Kristin asked.

"Today was fantastic," Lucas told her.  "I was just thinking about how I missed doing this kind of thing with everyone back when we lived on the beach.  Don't get me wrong, I love living on seaQuest, but I like having family time too.  It was nice even going to the market earlier."

"Yes it was," Kristin agreed.  "I admit that there are days when I miss living upworld, but then as long as I have you and Nathan I guess it really doesn't matter where we live.  My home is where my family is."

Lucas smiled at her.  It was funny how he got different things from his Mom and his Dad.  Dad was in a lot of ways his source of strength.  When things were down and he felt like he just couldn't take anymore Dad would be there to encourage him, to protect him, to guide him.  It wasn't that Mom didn't do that too, but she seemed to specialize at other things.  Mom never let him get away with trying to act older than he was.  She was there to remind him that he did need to rely on others sometimes, and she had a way of comforting him when he was sad.  Dad was his protector and his mentor in this thing called life, but Mom was his security blanket.

"I hate to interrupt," Nathan said, "but we need to start packing up.  I have to be back on the boat in fifteen minutes."

"I have a better idea," Bill said, walking up to Nathan.  "Let's pack up and go to the club and grab some coffee."

"I'd love to Bill but I really have to get back.  The UEO frowns on its Captains not being prompt."

"Wait a minute," Bill said.  "I'm the Secretary General."

"And your point is?" Nathan replied.

"So I'm your boss, and I'm giving you a direct order to come and get a cup of coffee.  The boat will still be there even if you're about twenty minutes late."

"Well, if you put it like that, how can I refuse," Nathan stated.

"Actually you can't.  It would be insubordination and I could have you court-martialed," Bill grinned.

"And they say power corrupts," Nathan joked.

It took about ten minutes to deposit the trash in the receptacles and put the two borrowed coolers into Bill and Janice's truck.

Everyone walked to the Officer's Club.  They bypassed the formal dining room and went into one of the small private rooms.  The windows showed a view of the seaQuest and the rising moon's reflection on the water's ripples.

Everyone ordered a cup of coffee, except Lucas, he got a hot chocolate.  The heat from his mug felt good on his fingers.  The temperature had taken a serious drop.  Lucas had a seat between his Mom and Dad.  He saw that Ben and Katie had gone to sit at their own table.  He also saw Jonathon, Miguel, and Tim sitting at a table spying on them.  Lucas figured it wouldn't be long before they figured out that Ben and Katie were an item.  Oh well, the secret was going to get out eventually he figured.

A huge yawn escaped his mouth and he knew that he'd definitely sleep good tonight.  He guessed he'd be out the minute his head hit his pillow.  

Kristin smiled as she saw Lucas getting sleepier and sleepier.  She wasn't totally surprised, after all, it was just a few days ago that he was sick and suffering the side effects of his medication.  She looked down at her watch.  It was ten after seven.

"Nathan, I think we should go on to the boat now," she said.  "Before Lucas falls asleep and you have to carry him back."

"What?" Lucas' head popped up.  "I'm okay."  He would have been more convincing if he hadn't let out another giant yawn at that very moment.  Nathan laughed.

"Well Bill, I guess we have to call it a day," Nathan said.

Bill nodded.  "This was fun.  We definitely need to do it again…soon." 

"I agree, but somehow life just doesn't seem to make it easy," Nathan shrugged.

Nathan, Kristin, and Lucas got up to leave.  Quick good-byes were given.  The others stayed since they didn't have to report back until nine.

"Wow, it really got cold," Nathan said as a chilly breeze blew past them.

"Well, it is winter," Kristin said.  

Nathan wrapped one arm around Kristin and the other around Lucas to help keep them warm on the quick trip back to the boat.  Lucas pulled his hands into his sleeves.  They moved at a fast pace down the walk towards the dock.  

They were about fifty yards from their destination when the first explosion happened.  The ground under their feet shook and the noise was deafening.  Nathan acted on pure instinct and forced Kristin and Lucas down to the ground using his own body to shield theirs.  Only a second passed before the next explosion, and the next, and the next took place.  A blast of hot air passed over them.  

Nathan could feel Lucas trying to lift his head and see what was happening but he made sure the boy kept it down as shrapnel and fire started to rain down upon them.  He suddenly cried out in pain as a burning sensation started on his back.  He quickly rolled off of Lucas and Kristin and onto his back to extinguish the flame that had started on his shirt.  

"Nathan," Kristin exclaimed, her face filled with fear.  "Where are you hurt?"

"I'm okay," Nathan gritted.  He sat up and took a quick look at Kristin and Lucas and was relieved to see that they were unharmed.  He looked towards the water and was shocked to see the rear end of the seaQuest on fire, bright orange flames pouring from the open holes in her sides sending up giant plumes of black smoked into the night sky.

"Dad!  Oh my God!" Lucas cried.

"You two stay here," Nathan said.

"Nathan I'm a doctor.  I can help," Kristin insisted.

"Damn it Kristin, just listen to me.  Stay here.  Trust me you'll have patients to treat soon enough!  Lucas you're to stay with your mother and don't you **dare** disobey me!"

"Yes sir."

Nathan took off running towards the seaQuest.  He saw that a small army of people were already gathering to put out the fire.  He wasn't worried at the moment about the damage to his boat, but about the crew members inside.

Luckily the bulk of the crew wouldn't be there until nine, but still, there were maintenance people aboard, along with any crew that had returned early, and the scientists who hadn't left the boat at all because they were in the middle of projects.

As he made it to the dock the smoke was so thick that he couldn't breathe.  He tried getting lower to the ground but it was simply no use.

"Sir you need to get back," someone said and began to pull him away.

Nathan turned to see several men in full fire gear including masks and oxygen tanks starting work.

"Sir, get out of the way now.  You can't do anything with out any gear on," the fireman ordered more forcefully.

"Then get me some gear," Nathan yelled and immediately began to cough.  "I have to get in there.  I need to get to the bridge and seal the water tight doors before she sinks and traps the people inside!"  Nathan began to cough violently.  He was inhaling way to much smoke.

"Sir, if there are people inside their dead already.  All that smoke has nowhere to go.  Now get out of the way so we can do our jobs."

Nathan had no option but to leave the dock and head back to Kristin and Lucas.  He started back but found he had to take it slow because he was having a difficult time breathing.  He was about halfway when Kristin and Lucas ran to intercept him.  He was coughing so hard.

"Nathan, sit down," Kristin ordered.

"Dad, are you okay?" Lucas asked, his voice frantic.

"I'm okay," Nathan said, trying to wave them off.  He looked up and saw his senior crew crowding around him along with Bill and Janice.

"Nathan what happened?" Kristin asked.

"I don't know," Nathan said.  "I can't get to the boat."

"Captain, the people inside," Ben said.

Nathan just looked at him and shook his head.  "It doesn't look good."

"Oh my god," Kristin said.  "Dr. Knight was staying on the boat today.  He said he had work to do."

"How on earth did she blow up?" Ford asked, obviously in shock, as they all were.

"I think the better question is **who blew her up?" Nathan said.  "That was no accident.  I heard at least a dozen explosions take place.  Even if the engines or the boiler went, there wouldn't have been a dozen explosions.  This was deliberate."**

"I'll call the President," Noyce said.  "If this was an act of terrorism it'll only be a matter of time before someone starts boasting about their accomplishments.  Thank god we stopped for coffee.  If you had gone back on time the three of you would have been in that explosion."

"Dear Lord," Kristin muttered and quickly wrapped her arms around Lucas.  

The thought of Kristin and Lucas being inside seaQuest, slowly choking to death on thick black smoke sent a shiver down Nathan's spine and he turned to Kristin who was still holding Lucas and wrapped his arms around them both.  They had been lucky, but how many souls hadn't been so lucky.  How many corpses would they find once the fire was out?

Nathan turned to look at his officers.  "Jonathon, Tim, Miguel, I want you on the horn right now.  We need a roll call done immediately.  I need to know who's alive and who's missing."  He refused to use the word dead just yet.  "Katie, arrange for temporary housing here on the base.  I don't know for how many just yet.  Ben, I want you to take Lucas and Kristin to the dorm and get them a room."

"Dad," Lucas suddenly exclaimed.  "Darwin!  We have to find Darwin!  I let him out to feed this morning just before Mom and I left but I don't know where he is now."

"Lucas, we can't go looking for him right now.  It's a blazing inferno down there.  We'll start searching for him first thing in the morning."

"Captain you're hurt," Ben announced.

"What?" Kristin said.  "Where?"

"His back," Ben told her.  

She quickly pulled herself out of Nathan's arms and moved to his backside.  She saw the large burn hole on the back of his sweatshirt.  The fire had burned clean through the t-shirt underneath and she could see the burned red flesh on his back.

"Nathan you have at least second degree, possibly third degree burns on your back.  This has to be treated immediately."

Nathan had been so focused on his family, his crew, and his boat that he had forgotten about the burn to his back, but being suddenly reminded of its presence caused his back to begin hurting with a vengeance.

"I'll be fine," Nathan said.  "I have to stay here."

"Nathan, you need to get medical treatment," Noyce said.  "As terrible as this is going to sound, you can't do anything right now.  Go to the hospital and I'm sure Commander Ford and Commander Hitchcock can keep you informed."

"No hospital," Nathan insisted.  "Kristin can fix me up here at the clinic."

"Dad…" Lucas started, but Nathan raised his hand to quiet him.  Lucas stopped his protest.

"Fine," Kristin said.  "Then let's get you to the clinic."  Ben and Lucas helped Nathan to stand up.  "Ben maybe you should stay with us till we get him inside the clinic and in a bed."

"You got it, doc."

Lucas was truly worried about his Dad.  The man was wheezing badly and obviously in pain from his back.  He was also worried about Darwin and the rest of the crew.  He might not be as close to them as he was with the senior crew, but they were still his friends and he didn't want anyone to die.

________________

  Lucas sat in the waiting room of the clinic waiting to hear about his Dad.  Mom had taken him into a treatment room about forty minutes ago and he hadn't seen either of them since.  Ben had only stayed a few minutes and then left to do the things Dad had asked him to do and see what Ford and Katie needed of him.

So he was sitting all alone in the waiting room.  His foot was tapping nervously at a frenzied pace.  Several times he had been on the verge of tears but so far he had refused to cry.  Still, the fact that his Dad could have been killed tonight was very much on his mind.  For that matter what if Mom and Dad both had been killed and he had been orphaned.  He couldn't even begin to imagine life without them.

He forced those thoughts out of his head as the tears welled up in his eyes once more.  

"Lucas."

Lucas sat up with a start and almost let out a small yelp.  "M-Mom…how's Dad?"

Kristin gave him a reassuring smile.  "He's going to be okay.  You can come on in and sit with him.  He's asleep."

Lucas stood up nervously and followed his Mom into the room.  Dad was lying in a hospital bed.  An oxygen cord ran under his nose and Lucas could hear the low hiss of the tank.  Dad was wearing a hospital gown and had a blanket over his legs.

"You're sure he's going to be okay?" Lucas asked again.

"Yes.  He had some smoke inhalation in his lungs, that's why he's on oxygen for the night, and luckily the burns on his back are only second degree.  Still, he's going to be in a lot of pain for a while."

Lucas finally sat down in the seat next to Dad's bed.  Kristin pulled a chair up next to Lucas and had a seat.

"How are you?" Kristin asked.

"I'm not hurt," Lucas replied.

"That's not what I was asking?" Kristin said.  "How are you handling all of this?"

"I…I'm not sure.  It all happened so fast."

"I imagine you were afraid though," Kristin said.

"Yeah, especially when I found out Dad was hurt.  He's always there for me…always looking out for me.  I guess I sort of think of him as indestructible."

"No one is indestructible," Kristin told him, placing a hand on the side of Lucas' face.

"I know," Lucas replied.  "Do you think Darwin survived?"

"Lucas I couldn't tell you.  If he was out of the ship then by all means he should be just fine, but I don't want to give you any false hope."

"I can't believe someone…" Lucas stopped as his voice hitched in his throat.  He got himself under control and continued.  "I can't believe someone blew up our home."  This time those pesky tears wouldn't cooperate and several escaped and fell down his young face.

Kristin pulled the boy to her and held him close trying to comfort him and share his grief.  "I know you're upset, and you have every right to be, but try not to be afraid.  The fact of the matter is we are still together.  Remember when we were sitting on the blanket today and I told you that it didn't matter where we lived…that home was where my family was.  Well I meant every word of that.  Besides, this isn't the first time seaQuest has been damaged.  We'll find a place to live just like last time.  We'll be just fine, you'll see."

"I know you right," Lucas said, wiping his eyes.  "God, I can't believe how selfish I'm being.  People are dead and I'm worrying about where we'll live."

"Lucas you're worried about your father, Darwin, and the crew on top of worrying about where we'll live.  Don't be so hard on yourself.  Trust me, I have the same concerns that you do.  Why don't you stretch out on the next bed and get some sleep.  Things will be clearer in the morning."

"Where are you going to be?" Lucas asked.

"Right here," Kristin said.  "I'm going to sit with Nathan for a short while and then I'll go to sleep in one of the empty beds too.  I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day."

Lucas stood up and gave his Mom a quick hug.  "Good night," he said.

"Sleep well," Kristin told him.  

__________________

Nathan found himself in the middle of a nightmare, and for once it wasn't Lucas'.  He was walking through seaQuest, just making his rounds when he saw both Kristin and Lucas approaching him from the end of the corridor.

Suddenly large explosions occurred behind Kristin and Lucas knocking them to the floor.  Nathan took off running towards them.  He saw the water tight doors starting to close.  If they closed before he could get them out they would be trapped.

"NO!" he yelled as he saw the opening getting narrower and narrower.  Just as he reached the door he heard the final click of the locking mechanism, sealing his family's fate.  

"Kristin!  Lucas!" he cried as he pounded on the door.  He could see them climbing to their feet through the small unbreakable window.  They were both starting to cough as black smoke began filling the corridor.  

He watched as Kristin pulled Lucas back down to the floor and together they crawled to the door.  Lucas stood up and tried to open it but the boat was on lock down.  Lucas quickly ripped the access panel off the wall and tried to cross the wires but he was coughing so hard and the thickening smoke was blinding him, burning his eyes.

Suddenly Lucas fell to his knees as the smoke was overtaking him.

Kristin embraced him and they sat in the floor awaiting their death.  Nathan could see the tears falling down Kristin and Lucas' faces but he was powerless to save them.

"Oh God…no…no…NO!"

____________________

"Nathan!  Nathan wake up," Kristin called.  Nathan bolted up in his bed gasping for air.  "Darling it's a nightmare.  You're okay.  It was a nightmare."

"Kristin," Nathan croaked and suddenly pulled her to him.  Alive.  She was alive.  He pulled back from her and asked desperately, "Lucas?  Where's Lucas?"

"Right here," came the hesitant response.

Nathan looked up and saw Lucas standing next to his bed.  The boy looked afraid.  Nathan held his arm out to him and Lucas had a seat on the bed and allowed himself to be pulled into a hug.

"Dad, are you okay?" Lucas asked.

"I'm fine now."  Nathan continued to hold both Kristin and Lucas for a long time, and neither of them seemed to want to pull away either.  The nightmare had just been too real and too horrifying for Nathan.  Then the memory of what had triggered the nightmare came to him.  SeaQuest had been blown up.  Finally Nathan released his hold on Kristin and Lucas.

"Have you heard anything yet?  About seaQuest?  About the crew?"

"Katie came in to see me about fifteen minutes after Lucas went to sleep," Kristin said.  "They did roll call and they can't located fourteen people."

"Who?" Nathan asked.

"Dr. Knight, one of my nurses, Pamela, Dr. Brown and Dr. Renior from geology, Ensign Burke, and I can't remember the rest.  They were men who worked in Engineering and maintenance.  The good news is that there is still hope for finding them.  According to Katie, someone managed to trigger the water tight doors.  The boat didn't sink, and by sealing the doors people inside the airtight compartments would have been protected from the flames and the smoke.  It may be some time though before we can rescue them.  The power on the boat is down and the doors are now having to be opened manually with blow torches."

"How bad is the damage?" Nathan asked.

"They can't even begin to assess that yet," Kristin told him.  Nathan had figured as much but he had to ask anyway.

Kristin grabbed her stethoscope and told Nathan to take some deep breaths.  "Well your lungs sound much better than they did when we first got here.  I can take you off the oxygen now.  I want you to go back to sleep, though.  You're hurt and the rest will do you good."

"I really should go down to the boat," Nathan protested.

"Nathan Bridger, I am your doctor as well as your wife and I'm telling you that you are going back to sleep."

"Kristin."

"Don't Kristin me.  You are staying put.  Jonathon and Katie will come here and tell us anything important."

"Okay…okay…you win," Nathan relented.  There was no use arguing with her.  Besides, his back was killing him.  The skin was so tight and burned terribly.  Nathan looked at Lucas.

"Are you okay?" he asked his son.  

"I'm okay," Lucas said.  "I'm just glad that you're all right.  You didn't look so good when we first brought you here."

"Don't worry kiddo.  I'm going to be fine.  My back is a little tender and I don't think I'll be playing football for a little bit, but I'm going to be good as new in no time.  I tell you what, I'll go back to sleep if you do," Nathan said.

Lucas smiled at Dad and nodded his head.  Lucas and Kristin helped Nathan to gently lower himself on to the bed and on his side.  Once Nathan was back to sleep both Lucas and Kristin went back to bed too.

Several hours later Lucas was still lying in his bed awake.  He couldn't sleep.  He couldn't get his mind off the fact that seaQuest had been blown up.  Being careful not to disturb his parents, or alert them to the fact that he was leaving, he quietly got out of bed and pulled his sneakers on.  Then he tip toed out of the room and stepped outside.  

He had forgotten how cold it was and that he was only wearing sweat clothes.  He pulled his hands into his sleeves and kept on going.  He walked around the building and down the concrete walk towards the dock.

The base was still in pandemonium.  Fire crews were still putting water on hot spots on the boat, ambulances were standing by to take any survivors, and Lucas recognized the men who's job it was to collect evidence and try to start figuring out who masterminded the attack.

"Who are you?" a stern voice demanded.

Lucas spun around and saw a tall man in a trench coat standing there glaring down at him.

"I…I'm Lucas Bridger.  My Dad is Captain of the seaQuest.  That's my home."

"You need to leave this area now.  We don't have time to baby sit you.  This is a crime scene, not to mention a highly dangerous place at the moment.  Not get back to your parents."  The man spoke with no feeling what so ever.

Lucas felt an anger growing inside of him.  "I don't need a baby sitter," Lucas said, "and I have no intention of getting in the way.  I simply want to know what's happening to my friends still inside?"

"Listen, get out of here before I have you escorted out.  Now!"

Lucas knew the man wasn't bluffing so he slowly began backing away from his home.  He decided to start looking for Darwin.  If Darwin had made it out of the boat he would probably be swimming around near by somewhere keeping an eye on things himself.  

Lucas turned and headed towards the beach.  He made sure to stay a good distance away from the docks.  He probably walked a half a mile down the beach before he went up to the waters edge.

"Darwin!" he called out.  "Darwin!"

The sun was only just starting to come up so it was still pretty dark outside.  Lucas realized that even if Darwin were out there swimming he probably wouldn't be able to see him.  He'd have to wait for first light.

He had a seat on the sandy shore and wrapped his arms around him for warmth.  Darwin just had to be okay.  Lucas looked a little further down the beach and saw a long pier out in the water for people to fish off of.  He had an idea of how to call Darwin to him if he were out there.  He got up and took off running.

He climbed up the stairs of the dock once he reached it and flew to the end.  He realized when he got to the end that he needed a rock or something.  Quickly he ran back to the beach and started looking for a stone or a piece of liter that someone may have left.  He found an abandoned soup can.  He grabbed it and hurried back to the very end of the pier.  He was out of breath by the time he got there.

He got down on his knees next to the metal ladder that went all the way into the water.  Lucas lifted the can and began to bang the pole with it.  Darwin's sensitive frontal lobe would feel the vibrations if he were near by.

Five minutes passed and still Lucas banged on the pole.  His heart was sinking as more and more time passed by and there was no sight of Darwin anywhere.

The sun finally broke the surface of the water and the sky lit up in a rainbow of colors.  The light allowed Lucas to see the ripples of the water more clearly.  It would be easier to spot Darwin now.  He blew some warm breath on his chilled fingers and then continued to  bang the can, hoping he would see the smiling gray face that he loved so much.

_____________________

Kristin woke slowly.  She opened her eyes and saw the daylight spilling into the room.  She sat up and threw her legs over the side of the bed and groaned.  Hospital beds really weren't known for their comfort.  She got up and looked at Nathan.  He was still sleeping.  She looked at Lucas' bed and saw that it was empty.

She began going through the rooms looking for him.  The clinic wasn't very big and it didn't take long to figure out that he wasn't there.  Kristin fought down a wave of panic and stepped outside, hoping to find him just outside the building or perhaps looking at the rescue workers down by the boat.

She didn't see him anywhere.  She made her way to seaQuest and began to search through the swarm of people.

"Lucas!" she called.  "Lucas!"

"Miss you need to stay back," someone told her.

"I'm looking for my son.  Have you seen a teenage boy around here?  Blond hair…blue eyes?"

"I haven't seen any kids around here.  I'm sorry. Now I really must ask you to stay back.  Only military personnel are allowed past this point."

"Listen, I need to find my son.  My husband is Captain Bridger…of seaQuest."

"Well then tell your husband to come down here and look, but I highly doubt that a kid is wandering around down here.  He would have been asked to leave the minute someone saw him."

Kristin kept the nasty retort that was on the tip of her tongue to herself and walked away from the rude man.  Once again she scanned the crowd hoping to see Lucas.  "Lucas!  Lucas!"

_____________

Lucas felt the first few tears fall down his face.  He had been banging and calling for Darwin now for at least a half an hour and still he was nowhere to be seen.  Lucas sat back and leaned against the pylon.  He wrapped his arms around his legs and buried his face in his knees.  He didn't want to accept the fact that Darwin was probably dead.

He'd wait a few minutes and then start calling Darwin once more.

_____________

Kristin hurried back to the clinic hoping that Lucas had returned during her absence.  She didn't find Lucas, but she did find Nathan, awake, out of bed, and getting dressed.

"There you are," Nathan said.

"What are you doing?" Kristin asked.

"I'm going down to the boat.  I need to see how the investigation is going and what the damages are."

"Nathan we have a problem," Kristin said.

"Kristin we have several dozen problems," Nathan told her.  "Can you give me something for the pain in my back?"

"Of course," Kristin said and hurried to the medicine cabinet.  "But we have a big problem that needs to be addressed right now.  I can't find Lucas!  He was gone when I woke up and I've search the base and got as close to the boat as those bullies would let me.  He isn't anywhere that I can find."

Nathan did what came natural to him anymore.  He concentrated on Lucas.  It only took a second to figure out that Lucas was single-mindedly focused on Darwin.

"He's looking for Darwin.  I'm betting he's on the beach somewhere."

"How could he?  It's freezing out there and he doesn't even have a coat!" Kristin snapped.

"He's worried about Darwin," Nathan said.  "He's not thinking with his head but with his heart."

"I know, but still.  Can you picture him coming down sick already, so soon after recovering from the malaria?"

"Kristin, I hate to leave you like this, but can you find him?  I really need to get to the boat.  That's my crew trapped in there.  I have a responsibility to be there."

"Of course," Kristin said.  "Go, do what you have to.  I'll get word to you somehow once I find Lucas.  Where can I get us some coats?"

"I'll get someone to take you to the store on the base so you can get some necessities.  Where's my wallet?"

Kristin picked up the small leather wallet from the table next to Nathan's bed.  Nathan quickly pulled out his UEO card and handed it to her.  "This will get you what you need."  He gave her a quick kiss and hurried out the door.

Five minutes later a young man stepped into the clinic. "Mrs. Bridger?"

"Yes," Kristin said, not bothering to correct him that it was Dr. Bridger. 

"I'm Seaman Birch, but you can call me Jesse.  I'm here to take you to the store and to help you find your son."

"Thank you Jesse.  You can call me Kristin."

Together they went to the store where Kristin grabbed two winter jackets, one for her and one for Lucas.  She didn't bother to waste time picking up anything else.  Things like toothbrushes could wait until after she had her son back.

________________

Nathan was able to walk past the security line and walk along the side of his boat.  He could only go so far though because the rest of the dock that led to the rear of the vessel was completely gone.  It had been destroyed in the explosion.

"Captain!"

Nathan turned to see Commander Ford approaching him.

"What can you tell me?" Nathan asked.

"How are you feeling?" Ford asked.

"Fine.  Tell me what's going on here."

"Well sir, the fires are out and most of the smoke has been vented.  Rescue workers have made their way to the bridge where they found Ensign Burke unharmed.  He was the one who managed to flip the switch to seal the watertight doors.  The ship has no power to run anything.  Dr. Knight, Dr. Brown, and Dr. Renior was found in the labs along with a nurse, Pamela something.  They were taken to the hospital with some smoke inhalation but they'll be fine."

"What about the men in engineering and maintenance?" Nathan asked.

"I'm afraid they didn't make it sir.  Nine dead total.  From first reports it looks like five died from burns, four from smoke inhalation."

Nathan sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  "Nine," whispered.  "Have their families been notified?"

"Not yet.  The bodies were only found in the past hour or two."

"I want them informed before the press finds out their names.  I'll be damned if I want some reporter showing up at their houses telling them that their loved one is dead."

"Understood," Ford said.

"The Secretary General was here earlier.  I informed him you were recovering in the clinic."

"Do you know where he is now?" Nathan asked.

"I believe he is staying in the Officer's Dorm.  He didn't want to leave the base and return to Washington until he had something to tell the President."

"I don't blame him," Nathan said.  "I'll be at the Dorm.  I want to be notified the minute I can go inside seaQuest."

"Yes sir," Ford replied.  "It should be within the next hour.  The feds are just about done with the crime scene.  Also several people from the UEO Drug Trafficking branch are floating around here too."

"UEO Drug Trafficking?  Why would they be interested in a terrorist attack on seaQuest?" Nathan questioned.

"I really don't know," Ford replied, shaking his head.

Nathan turned and headed to the Dorm.  He had about a million questions going through his mind and he really wanted answers.

_______________

Kristin walked along the beach with Jesse following behind her.  He seemed awfully young to be in the military, not much older than Lucas really.  It was his face.  It was one of those precious baby faces like Lucas had.

"Are you sure he'd be out here?" Jesse asked her.  "It's pretty cold to be taking a walk along the beach, ma'am."

"He's here," Kristin said.  "He's looking for Darwin."  Kristin cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled "Lucas!"

"Who's Darwin?"

"He's our dolphin," Kristin replied.

"Your dolphin?" Jesse asked in surprise.

"We don't exactly live a normal life," Kristin chuckled.  "Lucas!"

They continued down the beach and Kristin saw the pier.  She scanned the length of it and smiled when she saw Lucas' body huddled at the end of it.  She realized the reason he hadn't heard her was because he was calling out for Darwin.

She picked up the pace and hurried to the dock.  She climbed the few steps up.  She heard the sound of banging metal and understood what Lucas was doing.  

"Lucas," she called.

Lucas spun around.  "Mom," he said.  "I can't find Darwin.  I've been calling him and calling him but he isn't coming."

Kristin held the coat up for Lucas and he gladly put it on.  She felt his fingers and immediately began to rub some warmth into them.

"Lucas you're skin is like ice.  Let's get you to the cafeteria and get some hot chocolate in you."

"I don't want to leave until I find Darwin," Lucas protested.

"I promise we'll come back and look some more for him, but right now we need to get back.  I promised your father that I would let him know when we found you.  I've been looking for you for over an hour.  You scared me big time when you just disappeared like that."

"I'm sorry," Lucas said.

"I know you are, but I want you to come back right now.  We'll search for Darwin later."

_________________

Nathan stood in the Officer's Dorm.  Secretary Noyce was in a meeting and Nathan was waiting to see him.  He shrugged his shoulders slightly and winced at the pain in his back.  Finally the door opened and a middle-aged man with thick red hair stepped out.

"Captain Bridger, if you'll please," he said and motioned for Nathan to enter the room.  

Nathan stepped into the small conference room.  Noyce and Thomas were sitting at the table, along with several men that Nathan didn't know.

"Bill, what's going on here?" Nathan asked.

"Nathan I think you should have a seat.  Where is Lucas at?"

"Why?" Nathan asked.

Bill knew Nathan was going to be pissed and figured there was no easy way to say this.  "I want Kristin and Lucas here.  We think that all of you might be in danger.  We can't be sure, but we don't want to take any chances."

"What the hell are you talking about?  Did Wolenczak come out of his coma?"

"No…no nothing like that.  We have a pretty good idea who attacked the seaQuest, and it's directly related to you and Lucas," Bill said.

_________________

Kristin and Lucas had just gotten back to the base when two men in long coats approached them quickly.

"Lucas Bridger?"

"Yeah."  Lucas looked nervously at the two men.

"We need you to come with us," one of them said.

"Where?" Lucas asked, already backing away from the two men.

"Just come with us please."  They both reached out an arm to take Lucas.

"Don't touch me," Lucas yelped.  "Leave me alone."  He didn't know these men and the events of what Hector and Rico did to him was still fresh in his mind.  

"Now wait a minute.  This boy is a minor and I am his mother.  Lucas will not be going anywhere until I know who you are and what you want," Kristin said, stepping in front of Lucas protectively.  She could see how frightened he was.

"You're Kristin Bridger?" one of the men asked.

"Yes I am," Kristin said.  "Now why do you want Lucas?"

"Please, if you'll just come with us.  Secretary Noyce and General Thomas are waiting."

"Bill knows about this?" Kristin inquired.

"Yes ma'am."

"Fine, but I'm coming too," Kristin insisted.  "I plan to have a word or two with the Secretary General."

The two men stepped back and motioned for Lucas and Kristin to follow them.

_______________

"Hello Kristin," Bill said pleasantly as she and Lucas entered the room.

"Don't hello Kristin me," Kristin whipped out, her British accent more pronounced than ever.  "Just what was the big idea sending two bullies to practically drag Lucas and myself here."

Lucas was standing behind Kristin and actually cringed at how angry she was.  Once Mom got ticked nothing could stop her until she'd had her say.

"Honestly, the boy has been through enough traumatic experiences of late.  The last thing he needs is total strangers coming up to him and physically grabbing at him, telling him to come along."

"Kristin, I'm sorry if the men sent to find you frightened you and Lucas.  We simply wanted to get you here for safety reasons," Bill told her.

"You should be sorry," Kristin said snippily.

"Why don't you just tell us what is going on, and why do you think we are in danger?" Nathan demanded.  He also wasn't too happy with how Bill had gone about finding Kristin and Lucas.  Lucas looked very tense at the moment.

"If everyone will please have a seat," a man Nathan had never met before said, "I'll gladly get this meeting started."

Kristin and Lucas sat down on a small sofa that was against the wall.

"And just who are you?" Nathan asked.

"My name is Kyle Meadows.  I am with the UEO Drug Trafficking Branch."

"What does Drug Trafficking have to do with a terrorist act?" Nathan asked.

"Terrorists didn't plant the explosives on seaQuest," Meadows replied.  "Recently you apprehended a Julian Drake, correct?"

"Yes," Nathan said.  "He was running a pirate operation off the coast of Brazil.  He was also capturing people and selling them as slaves."

"Yes, we know," Meadows said.  "The fact of the matter is, without knowing it, you managed to get yourself involved in something bigger than you ever would have dreamed."

"Are you saying that Julian Drake blew up seaQuest?  The man is supposed to be in jail," Nathan said.  "We also apprehended most of his men.  How could drug smugglers pull something like this off?  Literally attacking the most powerful boat we have while sitting in a UEO base."

"Julian Drake isn't a small time drug smuggler.  He also doesn't work alone," Meadows replied.  "Julian Drake ran the largest drug operation in South America.  His brother, Antonio Drake, rules over Central America.  They have more than one government in their hip pockets.  We have been trying desperately to get our hands on these guys for a long time.  Every time we make a move they disappear, along with all the evidence against them.  Everyone in my department was shocked to hear that you had captured him."

"Truthfully our luck in capturing him was really due the mistakes of Chief Montoya and the two men working for him, Hector and Rico.  They put us on the trail of Drake.  Then seaQuest managed to pick up several communications and we pinpointed his location," Nathan explained.

"Yes, well we won't be getting any more information from Montoya, Hector, or Rico.  They are all dead," Meadows said.

"What?" Lucas gasped.

"For their own protection we were transporting them to a different holding facility.  They were cooperating for lesser sentences.  The van that was transporting them was forced over the side of a bridge, killing them along with the four men transporting them."  Meadows looked directly at Lucas and said, "Lucas, we need to know everything that happened while you were with Hector and Rico.  What did they say to you, especially about Drake?"

Lucas closed his eyes as he started remembering being in the dirty run down shack in the middle of the jungle.  He could still remember so clearly Hector and Rico taunting him, calling him pretty boy, and then touching him.

"Lucas," Meadows said, "what can you tell us?"

Lucas shook himself and looked up.  "Nothing," Lucas said.  "They didn't say anything about Drake, only that they were going to sell me to him.  I never actually saw Drake until the day he was leaving seaQuest and going into federal custody."

"Why were they going to sell you to Drake?" Meadows asked.

Lucas' eyes went wide.  He looked quickly around the room with a dozen people he didn't know in it, along with faces he did.  "Uhh…I…they…didn't say," Lucas suddenly lied.  

"I think Lucas has been through enough," Kristin stated, standing up quickly from the sofa.  "Could someone please show us where we'll be staying exactly so we can wash up and at least brush our teeth?"

"Listen," Meadows started, but Nathan cut him off.

"I agree," he said.  "Bill could you please get someone in here to take Kristin and Lucas to the Officers Dorm and get them in a room?"  There was no way he was going to let Meadows force Lucas to admit to his sexual assault in front of all these people.  Lucas didn't deserve that.

"Yes, of course," Bill said, giving Meadows a look that let him know to leave it alone.  "In fact Nathan, why don't you go ahead and take them.  I think we're just about done here anyway.  It's currently 8:30.  How about I meet you on the dock at 10:00 am so we can tour the damages and start working a schedule for repairs?"

_________________

Nathan opened the door to their small suite of rooms.  It had two bedrooms with a small living room and kitchenette.  It was about the same size as their quarters on seaQuest.

Kristin began to dig through her bag of items that they had just bought and she pulled out some shampoo and her new toothbrush.  "I'm going to take a shower" she said and headed to the bathroom.

Lucas had a seat in the stiff sofa and waited for his turn.  Nathan had a seat next to him but made sure to sit up straight so his back didn't touch.  His skin was too sensitive right now.

"Are you okay, kiddo?"

Lucas nodded his head up and down.  "I was just surprised when Meadows asked me to tell what happened on the island.  It's just that…well…you're the only person who knows," Lucas explained.  "I couldn't tell a whole room full of people what happened.  I haven't even told Mom.  I mean, I know she knows cause you told her, but…I don't know," Lucas said in exasperation.

"I understand," Nathan said.  "I really do.  I had no intention of letting Meadows do that to you in front of so many people."

"Thanks," Lucas mumbled.  "What's going to happen now?" 

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked.

"I mean, where are we going to live, and where is the rest of the crew going to live, and when do we start looking for Darwin, and how long do you think it will take to get seaQuest running and will the crew come back when she's done or are they going to be on other boats by then?"

The questions were flying out of Lucas' mouth at lightning speed and try as he might Nathan couldn't get a word in edge wise.  "Lucas!  Lucas, slow down," Nathan said.  "I know you want answers, and so do I, but right now I don't have any to give you."

"I just don't want us to all get separated.  I know that this is the military and that everyone has to go where they're assigned, but this is also our family.  I don't want Ben and Katie and Tim and Miguel and the others stuck on another boat, and what if Ben and Katie don't get assigned to the same boat?  They just got together again.  Plus we still don't know where Darwin is."

Once more the words were flying out of Lucas' mouth.  Nathan put a hand on his shoulder to try and calm him down.  "Kiddo, I can't really say what is going to happen for sure, but this is my family too, and I don't just mean you and Kristin.  I promise to do what I can to keep us together, but there are no guarantees here.  Right now everything is crazy for everyone, not just you."

Lucas hung his head and nodded.  He just didn't want to lose the people he loved.  He didn't want to see his friends all get assigned somewhere else.  It was no secret that he didn't trust easily and the thought of losing the people that he did trust was rather frightening.

Nathan saw the boy's despair and worry, but at the moment he just couldn't give Lucas the answers he wanted so badly.  Nathan understood that Lucas didn't handle sudden changes well, especially ones of this magnitude.  In all honesty, the boy's entire world had just come undone, and Nathan knew Lucas was counting on him to fix it.  He only hoped that he could.


End file.
